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- The
towering play structure without grab bars to help a child hoist herself
up or a transfer point where she could leave her wheelchair.
- The unbroken railing encircling play equipment, hindering access.
- The sandy surface under a swing set, treacherous to a crutch tip.
These represent the bad old days of playgrounds, prior to implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The ADA, passed by Congress in 1990 and enacted in 1992, guarantees
civil rights protection to people with disabilities. Accessibility is
one aspect of this protection. For children or caregivers with
disabilities, accessible playgrounds are crucial. Accessible playground
equipment equalizes outdoor play.
Accessible playgrounds encourage access for all kids -- not only those
with special needs. They give children of varying abilities the chance
to challenge themselves, test and develop their strengths, build
large-motor skills and be part of the action. They encourage outdoor
play between kids with disabilities and their able-bodied siblings.
They also allow parents and grandparents with disabilities to enjoy and
supervise their children in a playground environment.
The Center for Children with Special Needs at Children's Hospital and
Regional Medical Center publishes a fact sheet summing up ADA
guidelines on playgrounds;
ADA Guidelines require that:
- Children in wheelchairs can move around on the playground surface or path to the play area.
- There are transfer ramps with wheel stops and guardrails for children to get onto higher equipment.
- There is separate equipment for all developmental levels.
- The playground equipment and surface are maintained.
- There is space for adults to help children play on the equipment.
- All openings on elevated play platforms are limited in width.
- There are hands-on areas for children sitting in wheelchairs.
Accessible
playgrounds may also include quiet spaces for children to rest and
regroup from playground stimuli. And the best playgrounds include
features that challenge the senses: plants to smell, sculptures to
feel, and many textures on which to roll, walk, scoot, drag and crawl
over.
All playgrounds for children ages
2 and up that have been built or altered since Jan. 26, 1992, are
required to comply with ADA guidelines for playground accessibility. In
2001, the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance
Board issued specific guidelines addressing exactly how playgrounds
must be accessible.
Playgrounds built since 2001 are therefore generally the most
accessible by ADA standards. Existing playgrounds that have not been
altered since 1992 are only required to have no barriers to access
(such as curbs without curb cuts) and are not otherwise required to
comply with ADA.
"As we move toward improving all playgrounds, we work toward meeting
all ADA access requirements," says David Jensen, ADA Accessibility
Coordinator for Seattle Parks and Recreation. "We contract with people
who know what works and what doesn't and involve the community in the
planning process." When it comes to improved access in playgrounds,
Jensen adds, "even one change can make a difference."
Jerry Nissley, Parks Resource Manager for Bellevue Parks and
Recreation, says Bellevue's goal is "making sure our facilities don't
exclude anyone. Building accessible playgrounds hasn't been
significantly more expensive, and it is paramount to how we serve our
customers."
As playground equipment companies respond to the demand for creative
play environments that meet ADA criteria, parents can expect to see
ever-better accessible play structures sprouting up in parks throughout
the region. Playgrounds that meet the 2001 ADA guidelines are numerous
and sited throughout the Puget Sound area. Every child is invited to
play.
Click Here for a list of local playgrounds built or updated since 2001.
Paula Becker writes ParentMap's bimonthly Park Hopping feature and is a mother of three.
Resources:
A playground like no other
The Seattle Children's Playgarden, planned for the south end of Colman
Playground at 24th Avenue South and South Grand in Seattle, will offer
something for every child -- with or without special needs.
Project organizers say the Playgarden will include a unique blend of
play features and horticultural therapy. It will be a fully staffed
facility where therapists can meet their young clients and work
together while digging in the garden, exploring natural environments
and enjoying outdoor play equipment.
"I've heard many parents talk over the years about how hard it is to
find places where all of their family members can play safely and have
fun together outdoors," says Liz Bullard, founder and guiding light of
the Playgarden and a speech and language pathologist at the Boyer
Children's Clinic in Seattle. The Seattle Children's Playgarden,
Bullard says, will answer this need.
While the Playgarden is designed for "any child with a condition that
somehow influences the way they can access outdoor play," Bullard adds,
it will be welcoming for all children. "This is not just for kids with
special needs."
Plans for the ambitious project include edible, sensory and alpine
gardens; an accessible tree house; streams; cave, marsh and meadow
environments; climbing mounds; a sandbox; play features that encourage
gross motor skill development; and a building for offices and community
use. A fully wheelchair-accessible basketball court, funded by the
Seattle Sonics/Storm Foundation, is currently under construction. The
Seattle Parks Department owns the park but the Playgarden project will
finance the building of the structures, sign a long-term lease and pay
for staffing and maintenance.
Unlike most local playgrounds, the entire perimeter of the Playgarden
will be fenced. "We want to give the kids as much freedom as possible
within the space," Bullard explains, "and many parents of kids with
special needs say that they simply can't take their eyes off their
children for a minute. Little kids with Down syndrome who like to run,
for example, or certain kids with autism who don't stop when their
names are called. Some kids are also really afraid of the outdoors. The
boundary fence will ultimately support autonomy in the kids."
"The Playgarden project, as currently envisioned, has no equivalent in
the Seattle metropolitan area," says Pam Klimnet, project manager for
the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. In fact, Liz Bullard's
research has turned up only two similar projects nationwide.
The Seattle Children's Playgarden is currently raising money to support
the park's development. "We are actively seeking more board members,
and I am excited about talking to parents of more school-aged kids with
special needs," Bullard says.
For more information about the Seattle Children's PlayGarden, visit www.childrensplaygarden.org/
-- Paula Becker
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Health & Development 
